In an era of increasingly rigorous state standards, teachers at all grade levels face heightened expectations to deepen their students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. This report examines the impact of content-intensive professional development on teachers’ math content knowledge, their instructional practice, and their students’ achievement. ...
English learner (EL) students who do not attain English proficiency and grade-level mastery of academic content by the middle and upper grades are at risk of dropping out of high school or failing to graduate. To better understand the factors that influence EL students’ progress in Texas, this study examined ...
The National Assessment Governing Board has recently turned increased attention towards the NAEP achievement levels and associated achievement level descriptors. This white paper offers two specific contributions for NAGB to consider as they move forward with plans to develop evidence to support removal of the trial status of the NAEP ...
The initiatives to enhance adult learning program accountability and assessment systems of the following states are described in this paper: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Oregon, Texas, Washington, West Virginia.
Far too many students see mathematics as a subject to be endured, rather than a subject of real-world importance and personal value. But when teachers use student-centered techniques to engage students in more active and authentic ways, they can transform math classrooms into lively learning environments in which students take ...
In 2011, Massachusetts initiated the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI), which provides a comprehensive public health approach for young men believed to be at “proven risk” for being involved with firearms. This article summarizes the results of a quasi-experimental evaluation study to test a youth violence intervention program in ...
Student achievement depends on an array of factors within and beyond the classroom environment. Even within classrooms, a complex interplay of factors affects achievement. These factors include not only the curriculum but also teaching practices. In this paper, we are interested in two associated pilot programs, consisting of professional development, ...
In 2010, Massachusetts invested in the Massachusetts Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI), an initiative launched in eleven cities with the highest per capita rates of violent crime. This report presents the findings and methodology from the Community-based Violence Prevention (CBVP) study of the SSYI's impact on violent crime in ...
Most research and practice in second language learning supports the theory that literacy in one language assists literacy development in another language. The reverse hypothesis also is believed to be true—a lack of literacy skills in the native language hinders literacy development in the second language. The “What Works” Study ...
This report begins by sharing data and research on the problem of minority male achievement and the narrow pipeline to STEM careers, and discusses the Model Institutions for Excellence Program and why it is ideally poised to lead the Expanding the K–16 Pool effort.